Pregnancy, Teenagers and the Law, 1976

Developments from June 1974 to Dec 1976 concerning state laws & policies which affect teenagers' rights to sex-related medical care are reviewed. They evidence a liberalizing trend in contraception but not in abortion. Specific cases on contraception & abortion, constitutional questions, notification & consultation laws, & voluntary sterilization are described. The recent trends toward granting young people the right to consent for their own health care is traced partly to the lowering of the age of majority in many states. Future directions are briefly examined; minors should not be viewed by the court as "second class citizens." A state-by-state table shows the status of laws on the right to consent for medical care. 1 Table. C. Grindle.